The rise of sports TV costs and why your cable bill keeps going up

L.A. Times ^ | 12/5/15 | Meg James

[raccoonradio]

Last year, Americans collectively spent 31 billion hours watching sports on TV —  a 40% increase from a decade ago.

They watched football, baseball, basketball, hockey, horse racing, NASCAR, rowing, rugby, soccer and volleyball — even Little League championships and poker games.

“Live sports is the most valuable content on the planet,” said Adam Ware, head of digital media at Tennis Channel, based in Santa Monica.

[tennmountainman]

But you still are paying for channels you or your family don’t want to
watch. It should be ALL al la carte.

[SoothingDave]

Which explains why there are about 500 College Bowl Games now. ESPN is killing college football.

I personally do not mind having at least one game on every day from Dec 19 thru the holidays.

[luvbach1]

But you still are paying for channels you or your family don’t want to watch.

Right. That's why I said "sort of."

[Pearls Before Swine]

Don’t they pay an internet connection charge to the cable company? I understand them owning the modem-router and having their own private servers, but you’ve got to connect to the pipe somehow.

[JohnBrowdie]

espn is indeed killing college football, but it’s killing it with realignment, not next-to-meaningless, yet harmless, bowl games.

when espn is done, the nfl will have a free farm system (to the extent that it doesn’t have one already), and espn will pretty well own it. and people will have helped the entire sport to it’s doom by rabidly supporting stupid ideas like the college football playoff — which, those same supporters were flatly shocked to learn, is simply another means of protecting the status quo.

[tennmountainman]

Is the streaming service tied to DirectV or do you have cable internet
for your needed Internet to access this new program?

[publius911]

you're obviously one of those with twisted panties. look, it's pretty simple. if you're getting all spun up and emotional over your entertainment, then you're simply doing it wrong.

OK.
If it makes you feel better and important.

Ha ha ha...

Enjoy!

[dfwgator]

Yeah, let’s watch two 6-6 teams go at it.

[JohnBrowdie]

---Which explains why there are about 500 College Bowl Games now. ESPN is killing college football.

-------------I personally do not mind having at least one game on every day from Dec 19 thru the holidays.

---

yeah, it's pretty hard to find something wrong with (mostly) winning teams getting to play one more college football game during the holidays.

[fruser1]

"authentic Gladiatorial"

Excellent idea! This could be a place where folks try to PROVE that black lives matter.

It'd probably pay better than being on the dole, or doing street corner scores.

[tennmountainman]

If you are paying less, that is a step in the right direction.

[dfwgator]

I want "Monday Night Rehabilitation", just like in Idiocracy.

[Gaffer]

Just imagine the determination and drive during one of these ‘games’.....no quarterly breaks or half-time or snap-breaks or all that nonsense intersperse by talking has-beens?

[publius911]

Don’t they pay an internet connection charge to the cable company? I understand them owning the modem-router and having their own private servers, but you’ve got to connect to the pipe somehow.

Of course.
Fast Internet is the key. Most of us can't exist in 2016 without it. For under a 100 a month that, and a good OTA antenna is all most of us need.

[Gaffer]

Ha! Ha! I REMEMBER that! Great movie!

[AppyPappy]

“Last time I had cable it was $9.99 a month.”

I wasn’t even born then.

[Darth Mall]

+1

[SoothingDave]

Better than most other TV fare. Especially during that time when I’m on vacation and at home. I enjoy football. A competitive game (even if between 6-6 teams) is better than watching Alabama slaughter someone.

[JohnBrowdie]

Yeah, let’s watch two 6-6 teams go at it.

---

those are frequently much better games than watching thugs that were recruited with hookers and illegal money, millionaires-in-waiting, and future nfl wife batterers going at it.

there are plenty of people that are sick of watching that spectacle. jus' sayin'

[AppyPappy]

Try 5-7. Mississippi State